Celebrating… Nat “King” Cole

From the Chicago saloons to the studios of Hollywood (and countless theatres, dives and concert halls in between), Nat “King” Cole burnished a legacy of more than 150 Billboard-charting singles while selling more than 50 million records. He, in fact, topped the very first Billboard Best Selling Popular Record Albums chart. He shared that music, while inspiring America, as the first-ever black entertainer to host a variety series.

Cole’s personal and professional achievements were unparalleled. Many of those triumphs remain unsurpassed. Forever altering the course of music, entertainment and the world, tonight we celebrate an icon whose star will never fade.

Celebrating… a century of piano virtuosity and uniquely lush vocal timber.Celebrating… a century of trailblazing success as a pioneer of Pop music.Celebrating… Nat “King” Cole.

Jordan von Haslow, vocalist

For more than a quarter century, Jordan von Haslow has engaged audiences around the world with his charismatic brand of bubbly confidence, dynamic artistry and honest lyrical interpretation. He has performed to sold-out audiences internationally in venues including Carnegie Hall, Chicago’s Symphony Center and the Albury Hotel in Sydney, Australia. His performances include the New York production of The Phantom of the Opera, the PBS presentation of Steppenwolf Theatre’s Mad Joy, Leonard Bernstein: A Celebration with Harolyn Blackwell and Jubilant Sykes and the Stephen Sondheim 80th Birthday Celebration with the New York Pops. His debut recording, This Could Be the Start of Something, was released on Voix Chic Records in 2002.

Matt Baker, pianist

Australian born Jazz Pianist Matt Baker has performed jazz festivals, clubs and concert halls in Australia, Europe, USA and the Pacific Rim. His sideman credits include touring and performing with vocalists Ann Hampton Callaway, Jennifer Holliday, Patti LaBelle, Veronica Swift (2015 Monk competition winner), Tierney Sutton, Arianna Neikrug (2015 Sarah Vaughan competition winner) and Judy Collins, as well as guitar icon Bucky Pizzarelli, tenor saxophonist Joel Frahm. He was an award winner in the 2003 Montreux International Solo Jazz Piano competition and a semi-finalist in 2004 and 2005. The Montreux Jazz Festival also engaged the Matt Baker Trio as its exclusive in-house band for 2 years straight, where they performed 17 nights in the Montreux Festival Jazz Club, accompanying and supporting many of the headlining artists.